EU School Fruit, Vegetables and Milk Scheme
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden
Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, Desirability, Norms and Preferences, Social Capital
Supra-national
Citizens/Consumers, Businesses, Public Sector
Ongoing
The scheme aims to promote healthy eating habits among children and future generations by helping them to understand how diet, origin and the production of food, agriculture and the environment are interconnected. It is also encouraging the consumption of fruit and vegetables, milk and certain milk products in schools. This initiative aligns with the goals of the common agricultural policy (CAP) in terms of market stability and supply availability. The school scheme also incorporates engaging educational activities (lessons, farm visits, school gardens, tasting and cooking workshops) that inspire and inform students.
It was introduced in 2017 by merging two older EU schemes (school milk (1977), and school fruitscheme (2007)) to fight childhood obesity, low fruit\vegetable consumption, and promote healthy diets. Implemented in partnership with EU Member States, school, farmers, and local suppliers. It happened in different steps: The first gathered evidence where the European Commission conducted studies showing the health benefits of fruit, vegetables, and milk, as well as the long-term costs of poor diets. After they had consultations with Member States: Governments, farmers’ groups, health experts, and education authorities were consulted to align agricultural, educational, and public health goals.To then negotiate the budgets, there were discussions in the European Parliament and Council that were needed to agree on EU funding, co-financing rules, and flexibility for national governments. In 2016: Regulation (EU) 2016/791 was adopted, establishing the EU School Fruit, Vegetables and Milk Scheme, which came into effect in 2017.
It is monitored annually by Member States, with reports to the European Commission. It is owned by the European Commission (DG Agriculture and Rural Development). It is funded by EU, and the European Commission adopts a decision to fix the EU budget by country for each school year. Countries that wish to participate in the scheme draw up a strategy, at the national or regional level, covering a period of six years. Each participating country is required to monitor and evaluate the scheme. Monitoring reports cover each school year. The Commission does not approve the countries’ strategies, or monitoring and evaluation reports. It makes them public, together with providing a contact point in each country for information on how to participate and details on implementation.
The scheme supports the distribution of fruit, vegetables, milk and certain milk products to schoolchildren, from nursery to secondary school. Day-to-day free fruit, vegetables, and milk are distributed in schools and are also incorporating engaging educational activities (lessons, farm visits, school gardens, tasting and cooking workshops) that inspire and inform students. About 18 million children benefited annually, an increase in school distribution of both fruit\veg and milk.